Israeli President Reuven Rivlin, who is visiting Georgia on January 9-10, met President Giorgi Margvelashvili and Prime Minister Giorgi Kvirikashvili.

Bilateral relations and issues of cooperation were discussed at the meetings.

Georgian leaders offered their condolences to Israeli President over the recent terrorist attack in Jerusalem on January 8 and spoke on the need of “standing together” in the fight against terrorism.

President Margvelashvili, who held the official welcoming ceremony in the Presidential Palace, expressed gratitude to his counterpart for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and spoke on the potential of economic cooperation between the two countries.

Speaking at the joint press conference, the Georgian President stated that the parties “talked on the new steps,” which could be taken for “a more active investment policy” between Israel and Georgia.

“We have all state and governmental formats for deepening our relations. We have the support from our societies and our peoples for deepening our relations,” Margvelashvili noted.

“We introduced [Georgia’s] potential and opportunities … in the fields of economy, culture, business and tourism and I am sure that the cooperation [in these fields] … will deepen in the nearest future,” Margvelashvili added.

Prime Minister Kvirikashvili, who met the Israeli President after the presidents’ meeting, thanked Reuven Rivlin for supporting Georgia’s territorial integrity and sovereignty.

“The Prime Minister of Georgia and the President of Israel discussed the countries’ growing economic cooperation, trade dynamics, investments of Israeli companies in Georgia, and increasing the numbers of visitors,” Kvirikashvili’s office reported.

The parties also pointed out that 2017 marks the 25th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Georgia and the State of Israel.

As a part of the visit, President Rivlin will also meet with Parliamentary Speaker Irakli Kobakhidze.